Collapsible trailer



A. G. GLEISSNER' COLLAPSIBLE TRAILER- Filed Jan. 26'. 1922 '2 Sheets-$heet 1 E7131 432 \J I V ll WITNESSES WQW I p Oct. '23, 1923. 1,471,419

. A. G. GLEISSNER COLLAPS IBLE TRAILER Filed J n- 26 1922 2 SheetsSheet 2 WITNESS ES IN E NTOR y 4&9. 2

Fatented Get. 23, 1923.

entree stars mane.

s sarsnresriiea.

Anron e. e nrssnnn, or MI W U EE;Wisconsin connarsi'ntn 'r'nainnn.

' 7 Application filed January 26, 1922 SerialiHo; 531,967.

To all whom it may concern: I e

Be it known that I, inron G. GLEISSNER, a citizen of the'United States, and'resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of- Wisconsin, have in'vented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Trailers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a partof this specification.

The invention relates to vehicle trailers.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a collapsible'trailcr of strong but light weight constructionfor use with an automotive vehicle, and which trailer may be readily knocked down and carried by the automotive vehicle in any convenient place, as upon its running-board.

With this and other objects in View. the

66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of parts shown in Fig. 2. r.

The body'of the trailer-has, a foldable bottom comprising sections 9, 10 and 11, preferably of sheet metal, and sides 12 and 13- con nected by hinges. 14 to the sections 9 and 11, and end gates 15.

The-section 10 forms the botto mto which longitudinally. extending angle iron frame members 16 are secured adjacent its edges and to which transversely extending angle iron braces 17 are secured at its ends, said braces extending beyond the side edges of said section 10.. 1. i r The inner edgesof each f the'sections' 9 and 11 are connected to the section 10 by v hinges l8 secured to said edgesandto the "outer sides of-the frame members 16. The sections 9and-10 are reinforced at their inner edges by horizontally extending angle irons 19 and at their outer edges by longitudinally extending angle irons. 20.1 {Said sections 9 and 11 are'also reinforced at their;

ends by angle irons 21.

Brackets 22 are riveted to each of the the .inidsection of.

irons 20'. and are eachprov-ided with ears 23 receiving a bolt- 24-upon Whicha spring hanger bracket 251is pivot-ally mounted but which may be secured against turning by:

clamping it to the bracket by means of a stud 26 carried by an eccentric boss 27 and carrying a wing nut 28 andlock washer 29,

said nut, when secured down, holding the boss in the position shown in Fig. 6,..the bracket and iron 20. having suitable alined slots to permit the stud-to assumethe position shown;

of saidlinks carry a pin '33 similarlyheld to the links. 9

Each. bracket 22 has spring links 30 connectedthereto by a'pin 31 held in place by cotter pins 32, and the otherends A set of leafsprings 341 01? usual construction havetheir ends connected-tothe-pins {53 of each-set of spring hangers; Z By loosen ingthenuts on the studs 26-the springhang ers together with the springsg -3 l maybe turned'down adjacent the sections 9 and 11,

as shown in Fig. 3.

' The ends of the sides ,12' and-1g and the angle 'iron's 21 are provided with suitable studs carrying wing nuts 35and the end I gates 15 with openings for thesestuds so that tightening oft-he nuts 35 against the end gates secures them to theqsides and sections 9 and 11 of theibottomand adjacent thebraces 17 and, thus thewhole body structure is held in assembled operativecon- 'dition, The removal of the end gates allows the sides 12 and.13 to'be folded up against the sections f) and l'l respectively, and these sections to be. folded down at. right angles to the mid-section 10, as shown in Fig. 3,

and the end gates may then be laid against the sides and'bound thereto.

The runninggear includes The axle has fitting 39Isecured to the. springs' previously referred to,- an aXlev36, wheel spindles 37 and wheelsBS journalled on said i spindles. v each end provided; with; a fork ed portion 10, and aspringjpad portion- 4:1;in-whiCh 3 studs .42 are. mounted., midportions- I of the springs 34; are clamped; tofv pads by plates fl-3 fitting onto, said. studs and so;

cui'ed against the, springs bynutsA li ,In

110.5 i if collapsing the structure the removal of the nuts l4 frees the springs from the axle and permits of their folding up with the body.

The forked portions 40 carry pins 45 upon no i .which the wheel spindles 37 are pivotally mounted so that when the axle is detached. i j

from thebody the wheels may be folded fiat against theaxle, as shown in Fig. 4. When in assembled condition the spindles 37 are prevented from turning on the pins in each instance by a taper pin 46 whichpasses through an opening in the spindle as well as a notch 47 in the pin 45, which forms a part of the taper pin opening when the spindle 37 is aimed with the axle. Each pin 46 is connected by a chain 48 and cotter pin 4:9 with fitting 39 to prevent its becoming lost when therunning-gear is in knockdown condition. The axle and wheels when in knockdown condition may be laid alongside the knockdown body and the whole knockdown structure may then be bound together to form a compact bundle that may be'easily' secured to the" runnnig-board of an automotive vehicle until it is desired for use.

Any suitable connection between the trailer and vehicle may be used for hauling the trailer behind the vehicle. 7

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to anyspecific nected to said hangers and foldable therewith between said outer sectionswhen the body is collapsed, and end gates having connect-ion with said outer bottom sections and said sides to complete the wagonbox.

2. In a vehicle trailer, the combination of a body having a foldable bottom compris ing a mid-section and outer sections hingedly connected. to said mid-section, sides hingedly connected to said outer sections and foldable thereagainst, angle irons adjacent the outer side edges of said outer sections,

spring hangers pivotally connected to said angle irons, springs connected to said hangers and foldabl e therewith between said outer sections when the body is' collapsed, and end gates having connection with said outer bottom-sections and said sides to complete the wagon-box 3. in a vehicle trailer, the combination, with a collapsible body including longitudinalflyiextending frame members, of spring hanger brackets pivotally connected to said body, locking means engageable with the ad" jacent frame member for clamping each bracket in operative position, springs, and means connecting the ends of each spring to a pair of said brackets.

4. In a vehicle trailer, the combination, with a collapsible body including longitudinally extending frame members, of spring hanger bracket-s pivotally connected to said body, a stud for each bracket and a nut mounted on the stud and engageable with the adjacent frame member to clamp the bracket in operative position, springs, and means connecting the ends of each spring to a pair of saidbrackets.

5. In a vehicle trailer, the combination of a sectional bottom having a mid-section and sidesections hingedly connected to said midsection, angle iron reinforcing frame members extending transversely and longitudinally of said sections, sides hingedly connected to the side sections of the bottom, and end gates removably secured to the sides and bottom andholding them in assembled condition.

6. In a vehicle trailer, the combination of a wagon-box with a sectional bottom having-a mid-section and outer sections hingedly connected to said mid-section, reinforcing metal frame members extending transversely and longitudinally of saidouter sections, sides hingedly connected to the outer scc 'tions of the bottom, springs pivotally con nected to said outer sections to fold between them, and end gates, removably connected to said sides and outer sections, co ieting the wagon-box.

7. In a vehicle trailer, the combination of a wagon-box with a bottom havin a mid section and outer sections hingedly con nected together, longitudinally extending angle iron frame members adjacent the outer edges of said outer sections, longitudinally extending frame members on said outer sections adjacent their inner edges, angle iron reinforcing frame members at the ends of and extending transversely of said outer sections, sides hingedly connected'to the outer sections of the bottom, springs pivotally conv nected to said outer sections to fold-between them, means for securing the springs in operative position, and end 5 ates removabiy secured to the sides and bottom and holding them in assembled condition,

In testimony whereof I alliirmy signature.

ANTON e; enmssrnn. 

